Have you ever been sea purslane picking? Did you know that there is no need to put on a swim suite and bring your snorkel? Little did I know when I made a ‘sea purslane picking date’ with the chef of the Sorobon Beach Resort on Bonaire. In bikini with my towel and snorkel at hand, I was ready to face the mysterious underwater world. It was only a short walk to the shore before we found our sea purslane. Happily growing on the beach. I didn’t even get my feet wet! It was not one of my smartest moments, I can tell you that.

Anyway, I have been a fan of this salty sea veg ever since. I love to just pick them and eat them as a crunchy nibble. Now that I know what it is, I come across it everywhere. I was happy to find it growing at several places on Curacao’s sea shore. Look out for it and you will see. Pick a little, take it home and turn it into this easy sea purslane pesto. It’s delicious on grilled bruschetta with a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil and some parmesan shavings.

Ingredients

Instructions

Blanch the sea purslane for 1 minute in boiling water, immediately cool in ice water and drain on a kitchen towel. Put all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process into a coarse paste. Season to taste.

Notes

Tip: always toast peanuts (on the stove or in the oven for 10 minutes until golden) for extra flavor.